How to Teach Your Employees to Be Better Listeners

Listening involves more than just hearing someone talk.

An office functions better when employees are engaged in active listening. Paying attention to what co-workers say and the assurance that everyone's ideas are being heard makes for a more positive, productive environment. Work with your employees to encourage the development of listening skills. Listening isn't just about taking note of the words a person is saying. People who listen correctly are able to understand what the speaker is saying and remember the message when the information is needed.

Instructions

1. Bring all employees you want to train to a secluded space away from the rest of the office. Ask them to sit in a circle.

2. Whisper several sentences into one person's ear. Ask that person to repeat them to the next person, who will repeat them to the next and so forth until the last person receives the message. If the message is wrong at the end -- and it almost always is during games of "telephone" -- use that as an example to discuss the problems that stem from not listening.

3. Explain that active listening is being engaged in the conversation you're having with another person. Listening should never be about simply waiting for your chance to speak. Give tips on how to improve listening. Encourage listeners to repeat the salient parts of a person's statement back to them. For example, an employee might say, "So I should have the project to you by 5 p.m. on Tuesday" in response to a deadline request.

4. Model active listening. Have one employee speak casually to you about a recent vacation. Respond to what the employee says by acknowledging the statements made and asking for more information or clarification. Look directly at the employee. Put your shoulders back and keep them relaxed.

5. Pair off employees and ask one member of each pair to listen to the other talk about a good day from the last year or so. The listener should not respond or give any information about his or her own life. Switch speaker and listener roles after five minutes.

6. Encourage note-taking during presentations or group discussions. Keeping notes on a talk can help an employee retain and organize the information mentally.

7. Ask employees to evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses as listeners. Ask them to keep a journal each week for a month detailing their attempts to improve workplace listening and communication.

Tips & Warnings

• Create a handout detailing strategies for becoming a better listener and provide it to employees after the meeting. It may distract them from listening if you give it out before the meeting.

References

• Colorado State University; Writing@CSU; Teaching Listening
• Learning Through Listening: How Can I Teach Listening?
• National Capital Language Resource Center: Teaching Listening